


Hold me Tight (or Don't)

by thebatmandiaries



Series: Mania [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Lazarus Pit, Medical Examination, Out of Body Experiences
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2019-10-05
Packaged: 2020-11-24 01:47:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20899631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebatmandiaries/pseuds/thebatmandiaries
Summary: Sometimes, a Family is you, your Beloved’s dead kid in a coma, and your Beloved’s best friend’s “clone” who’s other gene donor is sort-of kind-of your boss off to play at politics.OrThere’s been a rash of robberies in Gotham, leaving Batman puzzled as to what the villains are up to, all the while seeing Jason appear to him, even though he’s been dead for a few weeks. Meanwhile. Talia takes care of a comatose Jason while discovering Lex’s secret project taking a form no one expected. On the other side of bay/river, Clark is investigating a mysterious Cadmus fire, under a building Lex Luthor (who is now the president) owns. Not to mention the mysterious new villain who may be more connected to the robberies in Gotham that it seems.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the DCU 2019 Big Bang.
> 
> Wow, this is probably the longest I've ever worked on a fic. (You'd think it'd be better right? Alas school and my procreation caused me to quickly try and tie everything together and set up the next part of the story.) A few key facts to note:
> 
> -While it's not really mentioned, this takes place over multiple months  
-This is not the greatest thing ever, but it's what I wrote, hope you like it.  
-If you have any questions or things you caught that should be fixed, please let me know! (unsolicited comments of how it's bad or whatever I'm not even going to entertain, there's a back button, feel free to hit it, I won't be sad if you decide you don't want to read it anymore.)
> 
> Art associated: https://workingchemistry.tumblr.com/post/188158252577

** _I never really feel a thing (I'm just kinda too froze)_ **

* * *

_ It was a long night. _ That’s the first thing Nancy thought when she had a free moment from her shift. It had finally slapped down, so she was able to fill out her paperwork that had accumulated during her shift. 

She clicked her pen and started filling it out. _Eric Thompson,_ _43_, _Gallbladder infection_. _Melanie Adams, 24, Kidney Stones. Roger Walker, 35, Laceration to the head. _

She looked up when the doors open. It was a woman walking in with a boy, who looked so out of it she almost felt bad for him. The woman had a regal air about her, like she commanded the space she was in effortlessly.

She had darker skin and wearing regular clothes. Her dark hair covered by a cap, and hidden by sunglasses, even though it was just breaking dawn.

Nancy admired that in a person, and she had the strangest feeling that if she turned away this woman away, she would live to regret it until the day she died. She closed her paperwork folder and got up from the desk to walk to the emergency room doors. 

“Can I help you, Miss?” She said, smiling.

“Yes.” The woman’s voice held a trace of a middle eastern accent. “My…son needs help.” 

“What seems to be the problem?” She said, taking stock of her new patient. He hadn’t said a word, just blankly stared at her, his weight entirely supported by what seemed to be his mother.

“My...son has been in an accident.” She said, sadly looking to the boy.

“Oh no, well if you can tell me the particulars I’d be happy to…” she said about to turn around to grab a clipboard when the lady interrupted her.

The lady smiled and said, “You’ll take care of him?” 

“Of course, ma'am.” She said, grabbing the clipboard. 

She turned around and the lady was nowhere to be seen, the boy trying to catch himself to no avail. He faints on the floor, and she calls for help. Soon, with all the chaos her mind is taken off the mysterious woman and her disappearance.

* * *

It was cold. That was the first thing Jason noticed when he woke up. He sat up and looked at the empty garden-type scenery that surrounded him. He saw the headstones next to him and frowned.   
  
How did I end up here? He looked around the dark and gloomy landscape, the moon high in the sky and illuminating off the fountain nearby. He got up, his clothes sticking to him uncomfortably. He trudged through the empty field and walked the distance to the manor.   
  
He didn’t remember anything except for one name that constantly ran through his mind.  
  
_Bruce_.  
  
He just started walking aimlessly, letting his feet take him where they wanted him to go. The brisk breeze whistled through the trees, but strangely, he didn’t feel cold. He crossed his arms close to his body and continued walking, there was no one around for miles, it was eerily quiet.  
  
Suddenly, he came upon a different ground. His tattered cape (why he was wearing it he had no idea, the slick feeling of something not quite blood still there, a presence on his skin, stuck to it as well, leaving him feeling disgusting and in need of a shower) fluttered in the wind, making a snapping sound behind him,   
  
He walked up the long drive, feeling compelled to visit this place. A connection he felt was incredibly important, one he could not afford to miss. He finally went up to the door and right when he was about to knock, a car pulled up and a young man got out.   
  
He had tanned skin, with dark hair and bright blue eyes. He wore a bright blue shirt with a black jacket and some jeans. He walked up to the door, muttering it himself, and knocked on the door.  
  
Jason frowned and said his first words of the evening. “I need help.”  
  
The stranger ignored him, and Jason felt irritated and was about to yell at this guy to look at him so he could tell why ignoring people isn’t nice, when the door swung open and an older amen opened the door and ushered the man in, Jason sneaking in behind him.   
  
The palace was extravagant. Completely impractical, and just a show of opulence. Jason wrinkled his nose at the disgusting display of wealth. He ignored the inside designs of the house and corniced on,   
  
The two men hadn’t found out he snuck in and he needed to find this Bruce person before they could. He hears steps of a person walking around the corner, tensed his shoulders and turned around when a glass shattered. A voice that seemed so very familiar breathed out in a strangled voice. “Jason?”  



	2. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce sees Jason, Nancy deals with her new patient, Conner escapes Cadmus, Clark and Bruce investigate Cadmus and the ruins left behind.

** _That even kinda came close_ **

** _(I just pinch myself)_ ** ** _   
  
_ **

* * *

Bruce let out a large sigh and rubbed his eyes. He felt tired. Exhausted, even. He picked another expense report and felt the dread creep up again. 

It was boring, and that’s what he chose to blame his hallucination of Jason on. 

It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence, as much as he hated to say. Ever since Jason...passed...he had been having little flashes of his ghost roaming the halls of the manor.

Bruce couldn’t even  _ look _ at the library anymore, let alone go  _ into _ it. 

A lot had changed since Jason, and it showed in the manor. He saw the figure out of the corner of his eye and whipped his head around.

“Jason?” He could barely force the word out, but when he looked there was no one there. 

_ I’m losing my mind. _

Bruce shook his head and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his racing heart. 

* * *

“I just don’t understand.” Nancy said to Jackie, her coworker. She clicked her pen and began filling out her forms. “She just left him here. He’s been comatose the entire time. We don’t know what’s wrong with him.”

Jackie tilted her head. “Did he get dosed by Joker or something? Because I had a cousin who’s friend got dosed and he went insane, they had to put him in a medically induced coma because of the injuries he sustained.” 

“I don’t know.” Nancy shook her head. “I need to go check on him.”

Jackie waved her hands and Nancy rolled her eyes. She went to her patient's room and checked his chart. It was unfortunately mostly I filled due to the fact that they didn’t know anything about their mysterious new patient. 

_ Date: 05/03/2013 _

_ Patient Name: John Doe _

_ DOB:  _ _ Unknown _ _ (1997?) _

_ Address: N/A _

_ Home Phone: N/A  _

She looked away from the form, staring at the kid. She wondered who, if anyone, was missing him right now. If he even had a family to go home too. She suspects the woman who dropped him off wasn’t even his mother. 

She goes and checks his stats, with everything being in the norm. She stares again at the poor boy, who has been comatose since his mother left him here. She wonders how she could do such a thing. 

_ Maybe she had a good reason _ . 

Whatever it was, she couldn’t shake the fact that something big was going on, something huge, and she didn’t know what. The feeling of missing something followed her all the way through her shift and continued on the way home. 

She had a restless sleep that night. 

* * *

The alarm was loud. It was a piercing loop of screeching. Bruce signaled to Dick to head around the other way to head the guy off and gave a nod at Tim to drop down and begin rounding up the bad guys. 

It was the third museum break-in this month, and it was only the second week in. Bruce wondered what exactly was happening with the villain this month. He knew that they wouldn’t all just be stealing from museums over Gotham for no reason. 

There had to be a connection, he knew it. 

He just needed to find it.

* * *

** _I woke up no luck (I woke up no luck)_ **

* * *

_ Meanwhile, in a town outside of Metropolis, away from the smokey remains of the Cadmus faculty, a man in all white escapes ... _

It was dirty.

That’s the first thing he noticed when he escaped. He ran farther and faster away, where no one would be able to find him. At least, he hoped that was the case. His ripped solar suit wasn’t exactly inconspicuous to the public.

He passed a sign.  _ Welcome to Metropolis _ and underneath it said  _ Home of Superman _ . He shook of the nauseous feeling that had crept into his stomach upon seeing the words. 

He looked around the dimly lit city and decided he would have to take from the store. He quickly broke in and got rid of the security cameras, and redressed. He set the offending clothing on fire, so no one could tie it to him. It quickly incinerated, and he made his way out. A pair of sunglasses and a hat covering his face. 

* * *

_ It was dark. _

_ That’s what he remembered upon waking every time. The scientists looked at him and he looked back. The only reason he was ever woken up was for testing, and he knew today was no different.  _

_ “Subject Kr, ready for testing, day 183.” The scientist spoke into the handheld device. The other scientist administered the test, bringing the kryptonite out. “Subject is exhibiting expected pain due to the exposure of kryptonite.”  _

_ He turned to the genomorph and said: “Make sure the subject stays still and quiet.” Upon having their subject remain still and not talk during the process, they began the experiment. _

_ They brought out the scalpel, and cut into the flesh. Blood poured out of the wound. The scientist put the kryptonite away while the other started a stopwatch. They watched as the blood sluggishly poured out of the wound, keeping an eye on the clock.  _

_ Three minutes later, the clock stopped and they wrote their findings. They looked unimpressed.  _

_ “Only three minutes this time, I thought it would be faster.” He said to the other scientist. _

_ She shook her head. “At least it wasn’t ten minutes, that felt like a lifetime.”  _

_ “But we aren’t making progress fast enough.”  _

_ “Yes we are, you’re just impatient. Lex is pleased with our findings. Just wait.”  _

_ “Fine.” The scientist rolled his eyes. “I just want this project to be perfect.” _

_ “It will be.” She looked to the project in question. “I have a lot of faith in this one. He’s special, remember?” _

* * *

He took a deep breath and tried to calm his racing heart. 

_ It’s just a dream.  _

_ Calm down.  _

_ You’re safe now. _

He looked at the dirty alleyway that had become his residence. 

_ I need to find an actual place to live. This got old hours ago.  _

He gets up and looks around again at the dirty alley. He  _ needs _ to get out of Metropolis, the last thing he needs is Superman finding out he exists. 

* * *

Bruce didn’t have a lot of time this week, dealing with the museum break-ins, but he figured if Clark was going to him directly with no preamble, then it must be serious. 

“It’s the strangest thing, Bruce. Cadmus is all but destroyed, I found the facility way on the outskirts of town, looking like the whole building all but exploded.” Clark said, looking at Bruce, frowning, 

“What do  _ you  _ think happened.” Bruce said, looking up from his casework. 

“I don’t know, that’s why I’m asking you.” He ran his hand down his face. “It doesn’t look like anything happened, it just fell apart.”

“Mmhm.” Bruce said, going back to his case files. 

“I think it might have been the fire that did it.” Clark mused. “But that wouldn’t explain the broken things I found on the floor.”

“Like what.”

“Test tubes, scattered notes, books a mess.” He took a sip of coffee. “Things like that.”

That makes Bruce look up again. “That’s not how a fire usually looks.”

“I know,” Clark laughs. “that’s why it’s suspicious.”

“Did you notice anything else?” Bruce says, reorganizing his casework. “Anything different or out of the ordinary, even as trivial as it might seem now.”

“Not that I know of. Just files of lab experiments.” 

“I’ll look into this, but keep an eye out, if I know Lex, he is not done yet. What he is planning has only just started.” 

Clark felt a somber air fall onto the room. The tension was thickening and he needed to leave before he felt that the air was too difficult to breathe. “Bye Bruce.”

Bruce made a grunt and Clark took that as his cue to leave.

* * *

Clark looked at the broken remains of wreckage once again.

_ It just doesn’t make sense. What could have caused this? _

Lois poked his shoulder. “Hey there farmboy, you look like you’re in deep thought. Care to share with the class?” 

He shook his head and looked at her. “Oh, sorry. I’m just trying to figure out this destruction of LexCorp property. On paper, it’s just a lab they used to do contract work for the government.”

“But in reality?” She said, looking at the pictures he had just been perusing through. 

“It's definitely not for any government project I’ve seen.” He paused and looked at her. “It’s just so strange. I’m beginning to think there were experiments, and with Lex, that’s always about Superman.”

“Ah, this is about  _ work _ , not work.” she laughed. 

“I’m beginning to believe so.” He muttered. 

Lois left him to his search and he sighed. 

_ What was Lex planning? _


	3. Chapter  Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Talia waits for Jason to heal and meets Connor, Bruce & Dick visit Selina, Bruce sees Jason again.

** _So hold me tight (or don't)_ **

* * *

Talia frowned. Jason wasn’t healing the way she expected, and that was a problem. She might have to up the dosage. She knew it would have been best to just dunk him in the Lazarus pit, but she knew how the side effects worked on people, and she wanted to avoid that for as long as she could. She watched the bright green liquid travel down the IV and into Jason’s body. 

She hoped the slow but continuous IV drips of the Lazarus pit liquid healed Jason’s with minimal side effects. 

She could only have the other villains distract her beloved for so long before he caught on to what was happening, 

He wasn’t called the world's greatest detective for nothing. She brushed Jason’s hair from his forehead, when she heard a loud crash outside. She got up and went outside, careful to keep vigilance, in case it was one of her father's men come to retrieve her. 

“Who is there.” She commanded. “Show yourself.”

Another crash and a boy emerged from the shadows. He was wearing regular clothes, but she had a foreboding feeling, he wasn’t normal. 

He raised his hands and she lowered her gun at him, still ready for an attack if need be.

“Who are you?” He asked. 

“The better question,” she murmurs, “is who are you, and what are you doing rummaging around dumpsters at this hospital in Gotham?”

“I was looking for supplies.” He said, making no move to introduce herself. She looked at the boy, his features looked very familiar.

Almost  _ too _ familiar, she thought. 

Holding in her laughter, she said, “Lex really outdid himself this time.”

The boy raised his eyebrows in confusion. “Who?” 

She looked at him, he was wearing what constituted as rags. She tsked. “Come with me.” She held out her hand.

He hesitantly took hold and left his position by the dumpster. “Okay.”

She led him to her car, and inwardly sighed. 

_ I need to stop taking in strays, lest I become like my beloved. _

* * *

It was surprisingly easy to catch the thief. Not only did he trip the alarms set on the actual case holding the item he was trying to steal, but he managed to turn the general alarms as well. It was a lie, he was trying to be as easy to catch as possible. 

Which only made it all the more suspicious. With the recent rise in museum robberies, it was getting difficult to catch all of them. Bruce had no idea why this was the most popular thing for criminals to do as of late as he feels like he’s missed something important. 

Bruce frowned at the criminal. “Who sent you to do this?” 

The criminal sneered. “No one, I’m a free man. I do what I want.” 

Just as he was about to continue with a different method of questioning, Dick said: “Batman, come look at this.”

He was holding a golden cat statue, with jewels embezzled in it. It was a beautiful statue, definitely worth a lot of money. 

But that didn’t explain why some no name was stealing it. Just as he was about to ask, the alarm went off. 

“Break-in at Gotham City bank, Two-Face and his crew.” Oracle said, patching in.

“On it, get Robin to meet me there.” 

He nodded to Dick, and they headed off, leaving the criminal there, waiting for the GCPD. 

* * *

“It just doesn’t make sense.” Dick said, looking through cases on the computer. “These villains, they are somehow collaborating together.”

“We need to figure out why these villains are collaborating.” Bruce paused and looked at his eldest. “Something big is happening with the villains in Gotham and I’m going to get to the bottom of it.” 

“Well, we have one lead.” Dick said, pointing at the cat statue. “We can always ask Selina.” 

Bruce grimaced, “Are you sure there isn’t another lead?”

Dick laughed. “Let’s visit your girlfriend Bruce.”

He ignored Bruce’s annoyed grumbles of  _ she’s not my girlfriend, Dick _ and silently laughs to himself. 

* * *

Bruce knocked in the solid door and waited for Selina to answer. 

She opened the door and smiled flirtatiously. “Hello, Bruce. Nice of you to drop by.” 

She sees Dick and smirks. “Not a social call then, I take it.” 

Dick shook his head. “No, I’m afraid not.”

She lets them into her apartment and smiles. “One second, I need to give my cats fresh water.” 

She cleans out the only bowl that’s not in the sink and dries it off after cleaning it. She fills up the red bowl and sets it on the floor, the cats flocking to it. 

“Alright, ask me your questions.” She raised an eyebrow and crossed her legs on the couch, “What do you want to know?”

“Why was this man stealing this cat statue?” Bruce pulled out the crime scene photos taken by the GCPD.

Selina laughed. “I’m not responsible for  _ all _ the cat-related thefts in Gotham.” 

“Just most of them.” Dick muttered. 

She ignored him and continued talking. “I’m sorry, but I have no connection to that statute.” She looked at it again. “Even if it is very pretty. And very valuable, I assume.”

“ _ She’s not wrong _ .” A voice said. 

He looked around and turned to Dick. “Did you hear that?” 

“Hear what?” Dick asked.

“Never mind.” He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.  _ All those sleepless nights are catching up to me _ . He thinks deliriously.

He turns back to Selina and begins questioning her again. “So you have no idea why this man was trying to steal a cat statute worth 1.3 million dollars?” 

“Contrary to popular belief and like I said before, I’m not involved in all cat-related capers, Bruce.” She laughed.

“ _ Yeah, unlike you she has a life, B-man _ .” A voice that sounded painfully like Jason said.

He squeezed his eyes, and rubbed his hands down his face. 

“Bruce, you okay?” 

“I’m fine, just tired.” he muttered. “Let’s continue.” 

He got and walked, more like paces back and forth. He looked out of the apartment window, and back at Selina.

“This is the third museum break-in this week.” He looked out the window and sighed. 

The kids were playing kickball on the street below, and one of them looked painfully like Jason. 

“We need to…” He paused, looking at the kids, he looked  _ exactly _ like Jason, down to the scar and everything. “Figure out…”

“Bruce are you okay?” Dick asked. 

Bruce didn’t say anything. He knew that kid was a dead ringer for Jason. He needed to see this for himself. 

He left the room and ignored Dick’s shouting for him to come back.

He burst out of the apartment complex, searching wildly for the kid, and coming up short. 

It was like he had vanished into thin air. Thoughts rushed through his head, a mile a minute. He looked again, nothing.

_ This is it, I’m finally losing my mind.  _

_ I’ve officially lost it. I’m seeing my dead son everywhere.  _

_ What is happening to me? _

_ Why is it happening? _

And finally,  _ how do I make it stop. _


	4. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clark meets with Selina, Clark meets with Bruce to discuss the robberies, Connor tries and bonds with Talia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lunch scene is the only part of this fic I'm proud of because I think it's hilarious.

**But I just can't, I just can't pretend**

* * *

Clark frowned. The museum alarm was blaring and he needed to be there before the thief escaped. He suited up and flew over to the museum.

He landed and walked through the empty corridor.

The only sound was the screeching alarm, and he did it’s best to shut it out. He looked into the next room, with a shadowy figure trying to sneak out.

A second later, he was in front of the thief.

Selina Kyle smiles at him and he stops with shock. 

_ What is she doing  _ ** _here_ ** _ ? _

He goes to grab the statute from her when he feels that sick feeling he only gets from a certain mineral.

_ Kryptonite. _

She takes advantage of his momentary pause and hits him in the head with the kryptonite statue.

He, of course, is affected by the blow and has a momentary sense of confusion as his vision blurs.

“See you later flyboy.” is all he hears before she disappears out the door.

He quickly follows her out the door, intent on giving it back to the museum. He rushed through the door and looks out at the few stragglers. 

None of them are Selina.

* * *

“Bruce we need to talk.” Is the first thing he says into the phone upon getting home.

“About what?” the soft clicks of a computer are heard in the background. 

_ So he’s doing “work”, not  _ _ work _ _ . _

“Why Selina Kyle stole a cat statue from a museum. Here. In Metropolis.” He enunciated  _ Metropolis. _

“What.” He heard the closing of a computer and deep breath. “Tell me what happened.”

* * *

The next day he and Bruce met. 

“You’re sure it was her.” Bruce said, picking up a fry and dragging it through ketchup.

He felt Bruce’s eyes on him and he put ranch on his plate, ripped a piece of pizza and dragged it through the ranch.

“That’s what I said.” 

“That’s disgusting.” Bruce muttered and continued eating his fries.

“It tastes good. Ranch is a staple in the Midwest.” He defended his choice of condiment. “That and tornado siren testing.” 

“What?”

“You know? The monthly siren test for tornadoes?” He raised an eyebrow. “Every first Tuesday at 10 am?”

“No.” Bruce frowned. “I don’t.”

“I guess it’s because you guys don’t really get tornadoes. My favorite thing to do when there was a storm was going outside and watch the tornados go by.”

“Your mother let you do that?”

“She was there too.” 

Bruce gave him a look and he decided to bring up the whole reason they were even eating lunch together.

“What did she steal?” 

He passed the papers to him. 

It was a silver cat statue with crystals and “emeralds”, which were really kryptonite. 

_ Donated to us by Lex Luthor, President of the United States and CEO of LexCorp. _

“He donated this when he became President, right?” Bruce shuffles through the papers.

“Yeah, like two weeks ago.” Clark frowned. “He said he was going to announce a new CEO for his company.”

“We need to keep an eye out for them, knowing Luthor, it won’t be anyone good.”

“So the bizarre robberies from Gotham are starting trickle here, in Metropolis.” 

“It seems so. We need to figure out why that’s villains are banding together and robbing museums and how Luthor is connected to this anyway.”

“Sounds like we got our work cut out for us again.”

“Looks like.”

As Bruce left the building, he headed back to his apartment.

He had some work to do.

* * *

_ One week later... _

The lady was nice. That’s the first thing Conner noticed. She gave him food and new clothes. 

He was waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

She talked in another language a lot too, with others on the phone. He mostly just stayed with her in the hotel, and occasionally visited the boy in the hospital. 

He didn’t look good, but Talia (she had given her name and looked sorrowful when he said he didn’t have any.) had said he was slowly getting better.

It had only been a few days, but he already had a much better time here rather than...Cadmus.

He shuddered at the thought of going back.

Talia smiled at him and asked, “Lunch?” 

He nodded, and she went to call for room service. She walked back and sat down next to him on the bed. He stood up straighter and kept his face neutral. 

“Can you speak?” She said, looking at him. “Did they teach you languages?”

“English and many others. Cadmus…” he paused for a moment, trying to collect himself. “thought it was important for me to know many languages, should I become Superman one day.”

“Or, at least, that was the plan.” She said.

“Yes.” 

A quiet moment passed between them. “Did they teach you how to fight?” 

“Not really, no.” He was quiet for a moment. "They didn't want me to be able to escape."

Her grin was sharper than a blade. “Unlucky for them. Let's begin.”

* * *

She kicked his butt. He lost count how many times she flipped him in various ways onto the matt. He enjoyed this...sparring...is what she called it. He hoped to make it a weekly (if not daily) occurrence. 

Her phone rang and she stopped mid kick to answer. He assumed it was time out for a couple of minutes until she finished her phone call.

“Hello Lex, what can I do for you today?” She smirked. “Don’t have enough to do in the Oval Office?” 

He heard with his enhanced hearing “Lex” responding with “Yes, I’m very busy, so this will only take a few moments. As I am now the president of the United States of America, I can’t focus on the company. As such, I need a CEO to run it for me.”

“And you thought of me?” She lifted an eyebrow where he couldn’t see.

“Yes, I think you’ll be the best choice out of everyone I have.” 

“When can I start?” 

“Preferably tomorrow.” 

“I’ll be there, 8 am sharp, then.” She ended the call by snapping the phone shut and smiled at Conner. “Shall we continue?” 

* * *

“What are you doing here, super stud? You know who will be very unhappy you crossed into his territory.” Selina Kyle said, smirking.

“You stole the cat statue from the Metropolis Museum of Art and Culture last night, and I want to know why?” Superman said, looking at her. 

She was in her Catwoman uniform, so it was only fitting to come as Superman. (Not that he had a choice, she doesn't know who Clark Kent is anyway.)

They were standing on the top of a random drool in Gotham, the dark architecture hiding Selina in the shadows, drawing a beacon to him, with his brightly colored fabric. In Metropolis, it didn’t seem to matter, but here? It felt like he had a target painted on his back. 

There was a reason he never visited Batman. 

“Sorry to break to you sugar, but I was nowhere near Metropolis.” She looked at him. “Harley, Ivy and I were at a bar.” 

That stopped him cold. “A bar?”

“Us Gothamites can have fun without crime, you know.” She laughed. 

“Mmhmm.” He looked around the city, making sure Bruce couldn’t sneak up behind him somehow. “If it wasn’t you, why were there dressed like you, and sounded exactly like you?” 

“I would have no idea.” She said. “Maybe it was another villain? Clay face perhaps?” 

“He’s in jail.” 

“Then I’m sorry. I have no idea how to help.”

“All I ask is the truth.”

“And that’s what I’m giving you. I didn’t steal that statue, and I have no clue who did.” She pulls out her whip and anchors it to another building for leaping off and swinging to the rooftop of another building. 

He watched her leave, with the distinct feeling this is only the beginning.


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce visits Talia, Conner meets a comatose Jason, Jason talks to Bruce again

** _I love you to death but I just can't, I just can't pretend we were lovers first_ **

** _confidants but never friends (were we ever friends?)_ **

* * *

_ Two days later... _

Bruce frowned. “You went and talked to Selina without my knowledge.” 

“It’s a Superman thing. I had to ask her and I couldn’t do that with you breathing down my neck, so I made sure you’d be busy when I went to talk to her.”

“Mmhm.” 

“Don’t you have more important things to deal with?” Even though the phone, he could almost hear Clark rolling his eyes. “Like a certain newly appointed CEO of Lex’s Company?”

“I can multitask.” He muttered, getting into the car. “I’m heading to talk to her now.”

“Good luck.” 

“I’m going to need it.” 

* * *

“Hello Mr. Wayne, how are you today?” The receptionist smiled.

“I'm doing well, thank you. I’m here to see-”

“Ms. Head, of course.” She grabbed a key and handed it to him. “She’s in the CEO office on the top floor.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I just take the elevator then?”

“Just slide the key in and push the top button.” She said, as the phone rang and she picked it up to answer.

He walked into the elevator and pressed the button after inserting the key card. The elevator hummed and closed. He waited, listening to the royalty fee music of the elevator.

It dinged and he got out. 

There she was, sitting in her glass office.

He walked over to the assistant and she nodded at him as he walked by. He opened the glass door with the plaque “Talia Head, CEO”.

“Hello beloved.” Her dark red lips stretched into a smile. “Nice to see you again.” 

“Why are you here Talia?” He said, getting straight to the point.

Her eyes twinkle with mirth. “Isn’t it obvious? While Lex is off being president, I’m taking care of his company.” 

“Why?” He hissed through gritted teeth. 

“Why not?”

She checked her computer, looking for something. She pursed her lips, and clicked out, turning her full attention to him. “Sorry,” she smiles “last-minute business.” 

“Mmhmm.”

“So tell me, why are  _ you _ here?” 

“I came to see you.”

“I’m flattered. But if you must know, we are going to be closing this location down, and moving to Metropolis.” She let out a sigh. “Unfortunately.”

“Not a fan of Metropolis?”

“It has its uses. But Gotham has always had its charms.” She laughed. “It will be quite a move.”

As he was about to say something, the phone rang. “Hello?” As she continued with the phone call, he looked around the room. He knew this was all a power play, that’s what everything was between them. 

“I see. Well that’s good to hear, I’ll be in touch with you soon.” she put the phone back in the cradle. “It’s been nice talking to you again, beloved, but as you can see,” she gestured to her office. “I have a lot to do still, I’ll talk to you soon.” 

As he was led out by the secretary, he frowned. He still had no idea what she was up to. He got back into his car and started it up, the radio blaring out the song that was playing.

_ I love you to death but I just can't _

_ I just can't pretend _

_ We were lovers first _

_ Confidants but never friends _

_ Were we ever friends? _

He jabbed the radio off before he could hear anymore. He needed to figure out what was going on, as this visit provided more questions than it did answers. He shook his head and started the parking garage. He’s going to get to the bottom of this, whether he likes it or not. 

* * *

“So this is him?” Conner said, looking at the boy lying comatose on the bed. The thick green liquid is slowly fed through an IV, attached to his hand. “What’s the green stuff coming through the tube?”

“Medicine.” she smiles. “Jason occasionally wakes up due to it, but only for a few seconds.” 

“I wonder what’s happening with him right now?”

“Hopefully he’s at peace. He looks healthy enough soon to possibly wake up soon.” Talia remarks.

“That's good, I guess.” Connor shrugs.

“Yes, yes it is." She smiles.

* * *

Jason frowned. Bruce had been ignoring him. He looks at him and then looks away.  _ I guess he just doesn’t want to see me, but can I blame him? We left on a bad note. _

He decides to try and get Bruce’s attention again. So far Bruce hadn’t heard him maybe today was the day. “Bruce!”

Bruce whipped around and stared at Jason, the longest time he had so far. “...Jason?”

“Why are you so surprised? I’ve tried to get in contact with you for a while now, but you never even heard me.” he looked at Bruce, suspicious. “I know you're mad at me for leaving, but completely ignoring me is cold.” 

“Jason?” Is all Bruce said, his eyes widening, frantically looking around.

_ Okay, weird. _

“Yes, it’s me.” he snapped.

“How...you were...and then…” Bruce stumbled trying to make sentences, but unable to grasp his mind around what was happening. 

“What happened to you? Did you get switched with a pod person or something?” Jason rolled his eyes. 

Bruce ignored him,  _ which rude _ . He was muttering things to himself. “Jason is dead, he’s not here right now, you're just going crazy.” 

_ Well, that's rude. _

“I’m right here Bruce, I maybe see-through for some reason but I’m not invisible.”  _ To you at least. I might as well be to everyone else.  _ "I think I'm having an out of body experiment since I get flashes of things."

“Is it you?” Bruce whispered to him, trying to reach out, but flinching when his hand goes through.

“Yes, that’s  _what I’ve been telling you_ .” Jason felt exasperated. “It’s me.”

* * *

_ Two weeks later... _

Talia sat down at her desk and pulled out an expensive cream sheet of paper. She needed to write this before she could make any excuses to not do it. It had to be done, and then when the time was right, she would send it. 

** _Dear Beloved,_ **

** _It is with a heavy heart I write this letter. I should have told you this a long time ago, probably right as it happened. But we were not on good terms, in fact, we still are not. I have kept a terrible secret from you._ **

** _Jason is alive. _ **

** _He is currently in the hospital recovering, and will most likely awaken soon. I will tell him everything that has passed while he has been gone, including the new Robin you have undertaken. The last thing I want to happen to him is to be blindsided by this news and go into a state. _ **

** _Perhaps once he is better, he will return. Perhaps not. Perhaps I will never send this letter. I will leave the choice to Jason as to where he wants to be. It’s his decision after all. When you read this, if you read this, please remember that. _ **

** _After all of this, one day, I hope you can forgive me. _ **

** _And before you ask, no, this was not part of any plot or scheme of my father’s or I'm making. I simply saw a boy roaming the streets of Gotham, almost close to death a second time, and decided he needed help. _ **

** _I hope one day you will understand why I did this. This was never meant to hurt you, regardless of what you may think. _ **

** _All the best._ **

She didn’t bother signing the letter, he would know who it was from. At that moment, she knew, when he found out about Jason, she  _ would _ give him the letter. She put the letter in the envelope, put on the seal to close it, and sighed.

_ Hopefully, this clears things up. _


	6. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clark interviews Lex, Batfam deals with more robberies, Talia moves them to Metropolis for a bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of breaks this chapter, whoops.

**Cause I'm past the limits, the distance between us (it sharpens me like a knife) **

* * *

It was a risk to move him anywhere, Bruce could catch on at a moment's notice and then everything would be ruined. She had to be careful, and she knew just who to call for her needs. 

She picked up the phone and smiled as the ringing stopped and was picked up. 

“Hello? It’s me.” She paused looking at Jason. “I’m going to need a favor.”

* * *

“What do you know about your new CEO?” Clark said as Lex poured him a drink. He wouldn’t drink it, and Lex knew that it was just a formality at this point. 

Keeping up appearances and all.

“Everything I need to know. She is the CEO and after all. I would imagine I know the person running my company quite well. You know me I’m not one to just appoint someone randomly.” Lex laughed, taking a sip.

“Mmhmm,” Clark muttered to himself. “I’m sure you do.” Not for the first time. He wished that telepathy was one of his powers. 

“So why are you here Clark? Surely it can’t be to catch up. You’re not one for social visits, at least where I am concerned.” Lex smirks, lifting up a glass and draining the drink inside.

“You’d be correct.” He pulls out his notes, ready to start the interview. “I’m here for my job. So let’s get started.”

* * *

It was time. 

She had to move the boy, he was getting close to waking, she could tell. 

_ We can’t chance him waking here. We need to move. Now.  _

She pulled her phone and dialed a number. “Are you sure you’re ready?” 

“Of course.” The voice said, verging on the edge of being amused. “Everything’s in place.”

She looked at Jason. “Good. Now,” she looked at the papers she was looking at. “Time to put in plan Phase II.”

“As you wish. I’ll let you know how things go on this end.” 

“Excellent.” She snapped the phone closed and then destroyed it. 

_ I won’t be needing to call them anytime soon. _

* * *

“Wait, we’re leaving?” Conner frowned. “To where?”

“Metropolis.” She said, aware he wasn’t going to be happy. 

“What?” A shocked look took over his face “Why.”

“I need to move Jason, he’s going to wake soon and we need to be out of the city when that happens.” A pause. “Not to mention...I think we’re going to have a bat infestation soon, and that’s the last thing we need.” 

“But what if-“  _ He sees me. _ Was the unspoken end of the sentence.

“I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen, besides, what kind of person would I be if I let harm come to someone under my care?” She smiled. "Besides, it is only for a little bit. We are staying permanently." 

He rolled his eyes. “Never stopped you before.”

She laughed. “While that may be true, the others missed one crucial thing.” 

“And that is?”

“I didn’t care what happened to them.”

* * *

“So I wanted to talk to you about the recent fires of your laboratory, Lex Corp.” Clark taps the pen against his notepad.

“And why would you want to know about that.” Lex smiles brightly. 

Clark knew not to confuse the smile with kindness. 

“Because it was such...major devastation.” 

“Yes, it was.” Lex took a sip of his drink. “But it was months ago. Surely it’s old news?” 

“Sure, but with the recent fires I figured you might have something to say with all these recent fires bearing some similarities to the original fire at your facility.” He raised an eyebrow.

“Sorry to disappoint. But I have no idea what’s happening. A grudge possibly? It wouldn’t be unfounded.” Lex smirked at him. 

“Mmhmm,” Hs said noncommittally, absentmindedly tapping his pen on the mini-dresser next to him. “Possibly.”

“Was that all then?” Lex said, putting his drink on his coaster. The condensation dripped down his hand and a little puddle collected at the bottom of the glass. 

“I believe so.” He said, getting up. “It was nice to talk to you, Lex.” 

They shook hands and Lex laughed. “I’m sure.”

He finished gathering his stuff up and left the room. As he walked away, he heard a sound that could only be identified as a phone ringing. 

“Yes?” He heard Lex say.

“We’re on schedule for Phase II. The cargo is being moved tonight.” He heard a female voice-Talia?-say.

“Excellent. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Now to move onto the distraction. We need to plan this carefully Lex. One misstep and we’ll have the heroes on us. I for one don’t want to have to break out of prison again.” 

“Don’t worry Talia, I’m sure we’ll be fine. We just need to stick to the plan. Everything will work out how it’s supposed to.” 

“For both our sakes, you better be right. Conner would never forgive me if I got caught.” 

“I know, he takes after his dad in that respect.”

He could  _ hear _ the eye roll Talia have over the phone. 

“Of course.” A pause. “I have to go, we’re getting ready to leave. I’ll call you when we’re on the way.” 

“Excellent. I’ll see you soon.” The phone call ended and he was left with more questions than answers.

He needed to talk with Bruce about this.  _ I’m sure he’ll be interested in how things are unfolding.  _

_ I know I am.  _

* * *

“So you’re telling me he called her?” Bruce looked up at him. “You’re sure it was her name?” 

“Yeah, I’m sure. I know what I heard.” 

Bruce frowned. “This makes things more difficult. Not only do I have to figure out what’s happening with these robberies and now I have to worry about Talia and Lex colluding.” 

Clark took a long look at Bruce. He liked rundown. Unhappy. “Are you sure  _ you’re  _ okay?”

“I’m  _ fine _ .” 

“You don’t look like it.” He sighs, looking at the computer. Each robbery is pinpointed on the screen. “But I know you’d sooner jump in front of a moving truck than talk about emotions.”

After a moment of silence. Bruce said, “I don’t know the pattern to these robberies. It’s like they are just random no order or comparison to be made.”

“So, all we know is there have been robberies, and they only happen in Gotham so far.” Clark leaned closer to the screen. “So we know that they, at the very least, live  _ in  _ Gotham.”

“Brilliant deduction Sherlock.” Bruce said, rolling his eyes. “I got that part.”

“There’s no need to be rude.”

Bruce ignored him and focused on the map. “What do these have in common? What is the central idea that ties them together?” 

“Well, when did they all start?” Clark looked at them. “Was there a major event that was the catalyst?” 

Bruce looked up the day of each crime. “It looks like a week or so after…” he paused and looked at the screen again. 

A few seconds went by and it was quiet. “After what?”

Bruce turned to him, his face enlightened by the screen of the computer. “Since the day the Cadmus facility got destroyed.”

Clark looked at the screen. "Well thats a surprise. What does Cadmus have to do with the robberies?"

"That's what we need to find out."


	7. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flashbacks to Connor and Talia bonding and Cadmus, DIversion time yet again, Tim runs into trouble

**I took too many hits off this memory (I need to come down)**

* * *

_ One month ago… _

“I’m curious.” Talia said, scooping ice and pouring herself a nice drink. “Why are you so comfortable with me. We hardly know each other?”

“You seem...honest.” Conner said, looking from the window to her.

“Honest?” She stifles a laugh. “Sure you jest.”

“You lie...but not without reason.” Conner frowns, thinking of a way to explain it. “I can trust when you say something it’s true. You don’t lie just for fun.”

“I suppose.” She swirls the ice around with her mixer straw. “And if so? Lie that is.”

He turned to look over to the window. The sun was setting, a nice pinkish-purple taking over the sky. “I guess we’ll just have to see then.”

She looks back to her drink. “I guess we will.”

* * *

_ “What do we have this time?” The doctor muttered, looking through the chart. “Ah, kryptonite test again. I told them we need to stagger these or you could be permanently injured. And then where will we be?”  _

_ The doctor shook his head again, muttering to himself. _

_ He strapped him down to the table for firmly, to avoid any shuffling or accidental moving. A few other assistants walked in and started getting everything ready.  _

_ A nice chunk of kryptonite sat in the middle of the table. He could feel the effects immediately. He strained against the straps and tries to move from it.  _

_ The doctor tsked and said “Don’t move. You’ll mess up the findings.”  _

_ The doctor chipped off a piece and held it in his hands. “We dome everything to see what happens outside the body. So I’m curious to what happens on the inside. We’ll start with a little piece and then gradually as more, like the other studies.”  _

_ He handed the rock to the other doctor and picked up his clipboard. “I’m ready when you are. _

_ The other doctor smiled and turned to him. “All right then.” He turned to the project on the table. “Open wide.”  _

* * *

He woke up with his heart racing. It had been a week since he escaped and met this mysterious woman. He got up from the bed and wand walked to the kitchen to find her there, to his surprise.

“What are you doing here?” 

She set her pen down and looked up from her papers. “Just some world before Lex officially declares me his CEO.”

“Cool.” He muttered. 

She frowned and said. “It’s been a week and I realized you never told me your name. I can’t be referring to you as “the child” can I?”

“...” He didn’t know what to say. So he went with the truth. “I don’t have a name. The lab...they called me project Kr.”

She looked at him. “Well, that won’t do. When you find a name, let me know. Although it has to be soon.” She smiled, not unkindly. “I can’t keep calling you nothing for long.”

_ Pick a name? How do I even start deciding that? _

She noticed his distress and handed him a computer. “How about you just look up boy names and decide from the list?”

He nodded and searched. About an hour later he looked up from the computer. “I decided.”

“Oh?” She looked up form her paperwork again. “What did you decide?”

“Conner.”

“Simple enough.” She smiled. “We’ll worry about the last name later. Just don’t mention it anyone asks.”

He nodded. He doubted he’s going to be out enough for it to matter. 

He was quiet for a moment before he said. “Thank you.”

“Whatever for?” She raised her eyebrows and let out a little laugh.

“For helping me.” He looked back at the counter. “No one’s ever helped me before.”

“Of course.”

A beat passed. “Why  _ did _ you help me? You don’t seem like the type to take chances.” 

“I saw a kindred spirit. Jason is quite like you.” 

“The kid in the hospital?” Conner frowned.

“Yes. You both have a good heart. Even though you both have suffered you still aren’t completely hardened and uncaring toward others.” 

“I see.” He got up and went to walk to his room. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight Conner.”

He started walking back before stopping and turning around. She had gone back to her paperwork, turned away from him. 

“I have nightmares.” He blurts out. She turns around again. “That’s why I was up. At the lab, they experimented. On me. That’s why I destroyed the facility escaping.” A pause. “I figured you should know, since I live here now and all.”

He walked back to his room without saying any more. 

Meanwhile back in the kitchen, Talia let out a not-quite smile and thought to herself  _ this will be interesting _ .

* * *

_ Present _

“The diversion is ready, we’re just waiting on our targets.” The man said, looking at the museum. “And you want us to steal what exactly?”

“Just follow the instructions.” 

“Whatever you say, boss.” He clicked the line off and disconnected it.

He turned to the rest of his team. “Let’s get started right?”

They shot a line to get to the museum and landed in the room. Going through the door they quickly unlocked it and walked down the stairway.

As they walked inside they saw rows upon rows of items. Shiny plaques proudly displayed the names and information about each item. He ignored this in favor of addressing his team.

“Okay, unit one you’re the distraction. I trust you’ll be fine by yourself.” He nodded. “Unit two you’re going after this item.” He held up his watch and the holographic picture of their target showed up. “Unit three you’re back up and watch. If anyone needs help you’ll be there to help, and let us know when the others arrive.”

Everyone hooded and split off. “Alright, let’s get what we came here for. I’d hate to upset the boss.” He linked up with the other teams at other locations. “Everyone ready?” 

He switched to night-mode on his goggles. “Let’s get that item then.”

* * *

_ Beep! Beep! Beep! _

The alarm was blaring. Bruce looked to the computer and hit a bit to see what was happening. Three different museum heists? 

He’ll have to get everyone for this. He pulled up his comm. “I hate to interrupt your patrol but we have three separate museum heists and we’ll need all hands on deck.”

“Roger that B man. I assume you’ll meet us there?” Stephanie replies. 

“Yes.” He clicks off the comm unit and dials Barbara. “You hear that?”

“Of course. I’ll let everyone know and they’ll split up and meet you there.”

“Sounds good.” He says. “Let me know if anything changes.”

“Can do boss.”

He quickly suits up and gets to the scene. As he does he sees Robin. 

“What do we have?”

“Teams of teams of seven in each museum, one team is in the upper right wing. One is in the lower left wing and the final one is in the basement.”

“The basement?”

“Yeah, I thought that was weird too. Steph and Cass are in there right now, the others have the other two museums.” 

“Let’s pay them a visit then.”

The swoop end down and landed right in front of the would-be robbers. 

“I’ll take care of them. You find out what the other team is doing.” He told Tim.

Tim nodded and went down to the underground basement of the museum, only hearing punches and people falling to the ground as he does.

The more he walks down the stairs the quieter everything becomes. 

He switches to night vision and walks around.  _ It’s so quiet, where is everyone? I thought there was supposed to be a team down here? _

He tried to click his comment on to ask Barbara and just got loud static. He quickly turns it off, frowning again.

_ What is going on? _

Suddenly he hears a noise. He quickly turns around to find a huge man in front of him. As he prepares to fight, he hears a  _ crackle _ and feels the terrible feeling of being razed.

As he falls to the ground he hears the man laugh. “Did you really need that many amps?”

“He’s the bat's kid, of course we do. We don’t know how much he could stand and still fight. I didn’t want to take any chances.” A female voice said.

“True. Now let’s get out of here, the boss won’t be happy if we get caught.” The man says again.

“No, she would not.” The woman replies.

He watches them walk down the hallway again, his vision blurring until finally he blacks out. 

* * *

He awakens in the end bay. He shoots up and looks around. “Bruce?” He calls.

Alfred walks in with a glass of water and says, “Lay down Master Timothy, that was quite a shock you had.”

He rubs his hand, his headache already forming. “Where is Bruce?”

“He’ll be here shortly, I sent word you woke up.”

“I see.” 

Bruce walks in and looks at Tim. “How are you feeling?” 

“I’m feeling fine. I was just unprepared for them to faze me like that. I’m sorry I let them get away.”

“It’s no issue. We’ll find them eventually. I just wish I had more to go on that what we’ve been given by the other teams.”

_ That reminds me-  _ “When they tased me and I feel on the floor they said they had to leave or their boss would be angry. Specifically “she” would be angry.”

Bruce looked at him and said, “You're sure they said “she”, Tim?” 

He nodded. “I’m sure.”

“Well, that eliminates quite a few people. We just need to narrow it down more.” 

He sits down on the chair next to the hospital bed. “Is there anything else you can think of? Any identifying characteristics.”

“It was really dark so I only know it was a man and a woman.”

“Hmm.”

“Sorry, Bruce.” He looked away from his mentor. “I know I mixed up and let them get away, so I wanted you to know I’m sorry and will do whatever I can to fix it.”

“Tim.” He looked at Bruce, his face set in a stern expression. “You’re very new to this. This was one of your first major cases, I don’t expect you to be perfect.”

“I know.” He looked down at the bed, and back at Bruce. “But-”

“No buts Tim. You’re young, you haven’t been doing this long, it’s okay to make mistakes.” Bruce rubbed his hand over his face. “We’ll pick this up later, get some rest okay?”

“Alright.” he said. 

“I have to go, I have a meeting with investors.” Bruce sighed, getting up from the chair. “I’ll talk to you more when I get back.”

Tim frowned. “Okay.”

“I’m serious Tim, you better rest.” he looked him in the eyes. 

“I will.” he rolled his eyes. 

“Tim.”

“I  _ will _ .” 

As soon as Bruce leaves he gets up from the bed and walks to the computer. He looks through each of the files on the robberies, slowly combing through the information.

_ What do all these have in common? What’s the connecting factor?  _ He uploads all the information to his tablet and quickly walks back to the bed before Alfred sees him. 

He continues scrolling through the info dump when he pauses and looks at something.

_ Oh my god. _

* * *

It’s been days since he last saw Jason. He would randomly appear, offer criticisms and then disappear again. He wondered when he’d see him again. 

“Brooding yet again, huh old man?” he heard a voice say. 

“Jason?” 

Jason raised an eyebrow. “Who else would it be?” 

“Where have you been?” 

He frowned, “I don’t know. It’s weird. One moment I'll be here and the next moment I'll see medical equipment and two people looking over me, and then other times it is just darkness.” he looked at him again and rolled his eyes. “Whatever hospital you have me in is trash, by the way, no doctors or nurses ever check on me. Just this lady and guy who looks like superman, but younger.”

Bruce freezes. “Jason, I'm not keeping you in a hospital.”

Jason laughed. “Well considering the fact that I’m never checked on, I hope not.”

He tried to clear this throat, feeling a sense of unease and despair wash through him. “Jason, you died.” He paused and looked up at him. “I buried you.”

“...What.” came the flat affected voice. “You’re telling me I’m dead?” 

He pushed past the crushing pain in his chest. “Yes.”

“Well, that explains a lot. Why only you can see me. Just great.” Jason was quiet for a few minutes. He looked up expecting to see Jason fuming, but the room was completely empty. 

_ Fantastic _ .

  
  



	8. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason wakes up and bonds with Connor, Connor meets Lois and Clark (and learns a secret), Bruce finds Talia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this wraps up really fast and is very brief. I only have so much time & motivation. I did plan on making this story much longer and drawn out, with lots of detail, but life happened, so that didn't work out. Hopefully, you enjoyed this or didn't hate it. Again, if you have any questions, feel free to shoot me an ask on my Tumblr!

**Another goes by (so hold me tight)**

* * *

_ A few days later… _

Conner was annoyed. He was not happy he was back in Metropolis since he spent so much time trying to get away from it. He adjusted his sunglasses to the top of his head and continued on his way. 

_ Why did she think this was a good idea? _

He aimlessly walked around the shops, not really looking for anything, when he accidentally bumped into someone.

“Oh, sorry. Didn’t see you there.” He said, looking at the man. 

“It’s quite alright.” He said, about to say something when a loud voice yelled “Clark!”

The man turned around and Conner saw this opportunity to leave when the woman walked up, stared at him, and said “Is this why you ditched me? To talk to this random stranger?”

He winced and turned back around, and the man (Clark?) laughed and said, “No, you just walk slow, we just bumped into each other.”

She nodded and continued staring at him. “You look really familiar.”

He shrugged. “Guess I have that face.”

“No, it’s something.” she tapped her finger to mouth and frowned. “Are you sure we’ve never met.”

“I’m sure.” he frowned. “It was nice to meet, but I have to go back, my guardian is waiting for me.” He walked away but not before he heard the women say “You look like if Superman and Lex Luthor had a lovechild.”

He heard the man make a sound, and say “Lois! That’s not funny!”

“You’re right, it’s hilarious.”

His phone rang, pulling him away from listening to the bickering duo. “Yes Talia, I’m on my way home.”

“He is awake.” 

That made him stop. “He is? All of a sudden?”

“Yes. Meet me at the apartment. I’ll brief you then.” she clicked off the line and he quickly walked back to the apartment to meet here.

She looked happy with the developments. A disgruntled boy sat up on the sheets, glaring at Talia. 

“Jason, this is Conner. Conner this Jason.”

Jason rolled his eyes and said to her. “Where is Bruce?”

“He’s not here. In fact, he doesn’t even know you’re alive.” she says to him.

Jason’s look is one of bewilderment. “What? So he hasn’t been taking care of me?’

“No, I’m afraid not.” Talia shook her head. 

“Why am I here with you?”

“I found you wandering the streets a few months ago. I had planned on taking back to the League, but...things got in the way.” 

_ Which was me showing up. _

“Then what.”

“You were basically a zombie. We had to move you, Batman was getting suspicious.” Conner piped up. 

Jason turned to him. “Who are you? Superman’s son or something? How much did I miss.”

“Kind of, but also not really. I was made from his DNA but he isn’t like my dad or anything. Same with Lex.” he shrugged.

“Lex? As in Lex Luthor?” Jason’s eyes widened. “How they react? When they found out?”

“They don’t know.” Talia said, “And hopefully they won’t for much longer. I’ll leave you two to catch up, I have to leave for a meeting. I trust Connor can fill you in?” 

He shrugged again. “Sure.”

She left and Jason turned to look at him right in the eyes. “Tell me everything I missed.”

* * *

“I’m telling you, Bruce, this kid is connected to Talia somehow.” he says as he mixed the sauce in the saucepan, watching it fry. “They were talking on the phone about someone waking up.” 

“She isn’t causing trouble, so I don’t need to worry about her. But you, not so much.”

“How so?”

“Tim, despite my express wish to work while recovering, found something interesting.”

“Oh?” he shifted the phone and shut off the burners. “Do tell.”

“Apparently, some _ one _ was responsible for the Cadmus fire. Remember those files you collected?”

“Vaguely.”

“Well, deeply buried, and under lots of encryption, was a special project by the head of Luthor Corp, which was later renamed Lex Corp after the head of the company died.”

“By Lex’s dad?” he frowned. He didn’t know much about Lex’s dad, just that he had been a ruthless businessman. “What was he doing with a special project?”

“Apparently, he had wanted to create another superman, one under his control. But he couldn’t. Kryptonian genes are too unstable. So, he had to mix in human DNA.” A pause. “Guess who he chose.”

Clark frowned. “HImself?” 

“His son.”

_ He looks like the lovechild of Lex Luthor and Superman _ . What Lois had said as a joke was becoming true in the worst way. “That can’t be true. Is this your idea of a joke bruce? Because it isn’t funny.” 

“I assure it’s no joke. I’ll forward all the files to you. I need to clean up the mess Talia left here, but I’ll talk to you later. Good-bye Clark.”

“Bruce-” he said, but was cut-off the dial tone. He took a deep sigh and tried to calm down. A ding on his phone notified him of the information Bruce forwarded. 

_ This couldn’t possibly get any worse _ . 

* * *

“So explain to me why we are going to do laser tag?” Jason frowned. 

“To ‘bond’ or whatever.” Connor shrugged. “Talia suggested it.”

Jason looked up at him. “Why are you with her anyway? You seem close, or close enough anyway.”

Connor looked at the arcade and frowned. “I was originally made in the lab as you know. So they did experiments to help against Superman in fights. Mostly kryptonite. How long it took before it affected him, what happened when it was ingested, all that fun stuff.” he shoved his feelings down and focused on getting through his explanation. “And one day I was finally able to escape, and then I met her. I guess she took me in and then we both helped you until you woke up.”

“Mmhmm. Well enough of this depressing stuff, I’m ready for laser tag. I bet I can beat you.” 

“Fat chance.”

“Oh really? Let’s test that, shall we?” Jason’s grin looked almost manic. “Loser owes the winner $20.”

“You’re on.”

* * *

After 5 games of laser tag, Jason was declared the winner. He clapped Connor on the shoulder and said, “How about you buy lunch and we’ll call it even.”

“Sounds good.” 

They got their food and sat down, the news drifting softly in the background until news about Gotham was brought up. 

“... _ In other news, Batman and Robin have captured Two-Face last night after he tried to rob the Second National Bank a few days ago. Sources say… _ ”

Jason quickly pushed his chair out and got out of his seat. He looked at Connor and said through clenched teeth, “Did you know?”

“Know what?” Connor raised an eyebrow, confused at Jason’s sudden mood change. 

“Don’t play with me. Did. You. Know.”

Connor frowned. “About Robin?”

“ _ Yes _ .” Jason hissed.

“I guess? I mean I don’t really pay attention to the news.” he shrugged. “Sorry.”

“We need to go, now. I have some questions for Talia.” he started walking away.

“Wait, but we haven’t eaten yet.” Conner said as he went to catch up to him.

“I don’t care. Let’s go.”

Connor let out a big sigh and followed. 

_ So much for “bonding” _ .

* * *

Talia sipped a cup of tea. It was almost time to move again. She was sure her involvement had been discovered, just a matter of time before the two find her. 

Jason came storming in and she sighed,  _ so much for a peaceful afternoon. _

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he demanded. 

“Because I knew you’d be upset. I didn’t want to upset you.” She took another sip of tea. 

“Why would you care about sparing my feelings?” 

“Why wouldn’t I? What would I have to gain?” She raised an eyebrow. “I did see them working together, but they definitely are not my favorite dynamic duo.” She laughs. 

Connor spies all the boxes. “Are we leaving?” 

“ _ I _ am leaving, you may come along with if you want.” She shrugged. 

Jason, who had been quiet for a few minutes. “I saw him when I was in a coma or dead or whatever. I  _ talked  _ to him. And I never saw  _ him _ . How long has  _ he _ been Robin? How soon after my death did he replace me?”

“About a month after you died there were reports of a new Robin being trained. He was seen on the streets officially about a few months ago.” Talia, putting down her mug. “I’m sorry, Jason.”

“I can’t  _ believe _ him. After what happened to me, he goes and gets  _ another _ Robin. He replaces me that easily.” Jason sits on the seat across the counter with a loud  _ thunk _ ! “I can’t  _ believe _ him.”

“Where are you going?” Connor frowned. “Back to Gotham?”

“Back home.” she sighs. “I’ve been away for longer than I should, but Jason’s recovery took much longer than I thought. Damian is most likely very upset with me.”

Both Jason and Connor shared a look. “Who is Damian?”

She smiled. “My son of course. He’s about seven.” 

“ _ You  _ have a son?” Jason exclaimed?

“Of course.” she smiled. 

Jason looked to her, “Wait, who is the dad?’

She smiled, “Who do you think, Jason?”

Jason’s eyes widened. (Talia noticed how the Lazarus Pit had changed his eye color, from blue to a bright green. She wondered if that was permanent.)

“No way.” he said, shaking his head, laughing. “And after all those lectures of being safe.”

“Indeed.” she laughs. “So I know Connor is going with me? Are you going to or shall I send you back off to Gotham?” 

Jason hesitated. “I think I’ll go with you. I’m not sure I wanted to be around Bruce or his new charge.” 

She smiled again, this time genuinely. “Of course. Shall we?” she said, waving her hand to the boxes. “Let’s pack up. We only have three more days.”

* * *

_ Three days later… _

Bruce quietly opened the door to the lavish apartment. He had finally tracked down Talia down to this apartment. It had taken many alias’ but he found her. Unlocking the door, he was met with the sight of a barren apartment that had been vacated. 

As he looked he saw it was obvious lead shielding had been put up.  _ That explains why Clark could never see them. And they never made a reason he should pay attention to here, so I guess I can see why never bothered. _

As he walked into the apartment he saw a single letter. He had an uneasy feeling, keeping him on edge. He picked up the letter and carefully read the contents until he got to the end. As the letter fell to the ground after he dropped it in shock he had one thought:

_ What have you done, Talia? _

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on Tumblr as thebatmandiaries, so any additional questions can be directed there! :)


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